Roxi
Active member
Mt. Monadnock October 1st
As much fun as bagging peaks in the Whites can be, I hike because I love hiking, no matter what the elevation is. It had been a little over a year since I had traversed the Pumpelly trail up Mt. Monadnock and Mother Nature promised another beautiful Saturday with perfect temperatures. The allure was too much to resist. So I asked my favorite hiking partner if he’d be interested in exploring the western part of our beautiful state, as he had not yet hiked Monadnock, and to my delight he said, “Yes!”
Sticks and I arrived at the trailhead across from Dublin Lake at 9 am. I’m still amazed that he was willing to hike with me and trust that I knew where we were going given that he got to listen to such statements as “The trailhead’s around here somewhere,” and “I thought the trail makes a right turn somewhere near here,” and “I think we’re on the right trail.”
I don’t have a problem with getting lost, it’s just another adventure, and the advantage of not having a great memory is that everything seems new. Anyway, I did find the trailhead, and we were on the right trail, apparently early as we encountered only one other person coming down as we went up.
Every aspect of the Pumpelly trail is delightful! The beginning is an easy stroll through private woodland with the sun streaming through maple and birch leaves that were beginning to turn color. As we turned left, a steeper section followed that seemed even more eroded than last year. Does anyone maintain this section of the trail, or is it not maintained because of being private land? After getting a good workout on the steep section, slabs of granite beneath our feet marked reaching the ridge, along which we made our way toward the summit, which was in sight, but still far enough away. We were frequently distracted by the views of the beautiful valleys and lakes beneath us and stopped often. Cool marble could be found embedded in some rocks, while unusual rod-shaped rocks were embedded in others.
The trail itself was in excellent condition, with a few wet spots from last week’s rain. Besides the gentleman we encountered going down, and the one we knew was behind us coming up, the only other creatures we saw were hawks and other birds, and small aircraft flying against a cloudless blue sky. We passed the Cascade Link and Spellman Trail without picking up much traffic. After intersecting with the Red Spot trail, however, the population on the trail increased significantly. Large cairns marked the way. Pools of water surrounded by gray granite broke up the scenery. The bald summit was covered with people, including one gentlemen descending while smoking a cigar. Monadnock’s summit often reminds me of Washington or Cadillac with all the tourists, but without the store.
The 360 degree view was gorgeous, although a thin layer of haze/smog could be seen everywhere. North and South Pack were easily visible to the east as were mountains further north, to the west in Vermont and south in MA. We decided to get out of the wind by descending slightly and finding a private nook to have a snack. The sun felt warm on our faces and the views on the way down were so inviting that it was hard not to park ourselves on one of the many ledges and spend all afternoon there. We eventually made our way off the ridge, down the steep, eroded path, and back onto the soft woodland carpet of pine needles. The book says this 9 mile round trip should take 7 hours. Even with all the vista breaks we took, we were off the mountain in 5 and a half. A wonderful journey on a beautiful day, what more could anyone ask for?
As much fun as bagging peaks in the Whites can be, I hike because I love hiking, no matter what the elevation is. It had been a little over a year since I had traversed the Pumpelly trail up Mt. Monadnock and Mother Nature promised another beautiful Saturday with perfect temperatures. The allure was too much to resist. So I asked my favorite hiking partner if he’d be interested in exploring the western part of our beautiful state, as he had not yet hiked Monadnock, and to my delight he said, “Yes!”
Sticks and I arrived at the trailhead across from Dublin Lake at 9 am. I’m still amazed that he was willing to hike with me and trust that I knew where we were going given that he got to listen to such statements as “The trailhead’s around here somewhere,” and “I thought the trail makes a right turn somewhere near here,” and “I think we’re on the right trail.”
I don’t have a problem with getting lost, it’s just another adventure, and the advantage of not having a great memory is that everything seems new. Anyway, I did find the trailhead, and we were on the right trail, apparently early as we encountered only one other person coming down as we went up.Every aspect of the Pumpelly trail is delightful! The beginning is an easy stroll through private woodland with the sun streaming through maple and birch leaves that were beginning to turn color. As we turned left, a steeper section followed that seemed even more eroded than last year. Does anyone maintain this section of the trail, or is it not maintained because of being private land? After getting a good workout on the steep section, slabs of granite beneath our feet marked reaching the ridge, along which we made our way toward the summit, which was in sight, but still far enough away. We were frequently distracted by the views of the beautiful valleys and lakes beneath us and stopped often. Cool marble could be found embedded in some rocks, while unusual rod-shaped rocks were embedded in others.
The trail itself was in excellent condition, with a few wet spots from last week’s rain. Besides the gentleman we encountered going down, and the one we knew was behind us coming up, the only other creatures we saw were hawks and other birds, and small aircraft flying against a cloudless blue sky. We passed the Cascade Link and Spellman Trail without picking up much traffic. After intersecting with the Red Spot trail, however, the population on the trail increased significantly. Large cairns marked the way. Pools of water surrounded by gray granite broke up the scenery. The bald summit was covered with people, including one gentlemen descending while smoking a cigar. Monadnock’s summit often reminds me of Washington or Cadillac with all the tourists, but without the store.
The 360 degree view was gorgeous, although a thin layer of haze/smog could be seen everywhere. North and South Pack were easily visible to the east as were mountains further north, to the west in Vermont and south in MA. We decided to get out of the wind by descending slightly and finding a private nook to have a snack. The sun felt warm on our faces and the views on the way down were so inviting that it was hard not to park ourselves on one of the many ledges and spend all afternoon there. We eventually made our way off the ridge, down the steep, eroded path, and back onto the soft woodland carpet of pine needles. The book says this 9 mile round trip should take 7 hours. Even with all the vista breaks we took, we were off the mountain in 5 and a half. A wonderful journey on a beautiful day, what more could anyone ask for?
